Surreal Slayer
by BenJS
Summary: A one-shot about a pokemon accepting it's fate at the hands of another. My first fic. All Criticism accepted.


Disclaimer: I do not own pokémon, it belongs to Satoshi Tajirri, Nintendo, Wizards of the Coast and whoever else he gives the rights to. But I do, however, own all original characters, Items, places and the personalities of official characters that I have created myself. Anything I may borrow from other fanfiction authors belongs to their respective owners.

Author Notes: This is my first fic and one-shot which I've been working on to vent the writer's block that has been preventing me from making much progress on my main journey fic of which the first chapter is half-finished. Still, I hope you like this and please look out for more of my work in the future. Please feel free to leave a review and remember that all criticism is welcome, in fact I beg you for it, anything to help me improve. Oh, and I wasn't sure about the rating/genre so please tell me if I need to change that.

Surreal Slayer

By BenJS

"_You're _the one who's been givin' the grunts a hard time?" the Rocket Field Commander scoffed, "Those newbies really are wimps."

The young girl before him levelled an accusing finger at the older man's chest, a triumphant grin plastered across her features. "I'm here for the pokémon you stole," she declared, swishing her short emerald ponyta-tail from her shoulder cockily, "and if you won't hand them over I'll have to make you!"

The Rocket smirked; there was nothing he enjoyed more than crushing a child's spirits. "Big words for such a small wench, lets see if ya can back 'em up."

"You're on, go Surreal!" she cried, stepping back a few paces to make room and leaving the espeon that had stood quietly by her side alone on the field.

The Field Commander allowed his fingers to brush across the orbs at his belt, deciding which would be best suited to crushing the insolent brat, before his hand settled on the Greatball at the right hand side of the buckle. Flinging the sphere at the ground between them, it snapped open on its hinge, the forthcoming red energy fizzing and forming itself into the hulking black and red shape of an arcanine.

"Meet my latest acquisition, Slayer," the outlaw gloated, "he's not fully broken yet but he'll do."

How _dare _he talk about a pokémon like that, as if it were nothing more than a tool, something to be 'acquired' and discarded at his discretion. And what had he meant by broken? She shuddered to imagine.

Fuming, the girl issued the first command and thus commenced the battle. "Surreal, Confusion!"

But the espeon hesitated; the dog was young and by the slightly glazed look in his eyes Surreal guessed that he must have been exposed to some form of trauma, probably from the process of 'breaking' him that the Rocket had spoken of. She judged that if it continued for much longer the canine pokemon would soon go mad, that or surrender himself completely to his master's will.

Her Trainer's cry snapped Surreal back into the present, only just dodging the striped blur that was her opponents Take Down attack.

"Stay focussed Surreal," the girl hissed to her psychic-type. Despite her misgivings of the man, he obviously raised his pokémon well and she had best stay on guard.

Annoyed that his battler had missed such an easy target, the Rocket fingered the leather whip at his belt, earning a small whimper from the fire hound, before commanding a Flamethrower.

Slayer obliged, scared of yet another lashing for his incompetence. He opened his gaping muzzle wide, the writhing flames spewing forth from his jaws towards his smaller foe, the waves of heat so great that they distorted the air around the attack and slightly ruffled his shaggy cream mane.

Caught off-guard by the canine's swift reaction, the child was to slow to react, but luckily Surreal thought fast and erected a Light Screen to bear the brunt of the attack. The powerful column of fire hit the thin sheet of light and writhed against it for a fraction of a second, losing power as it smashed through the barrier and sent shards of light into the air to dissipate in the blink of an eye.

Though weakened, the attack still managed to send Surreal flying, vicious blisters erupting under the scorched fur and leaving the espeon gasping in pain, one leg wrenched at an odd angle by the collision with the unforgiving concrete floor and preventing her from rising to her feet.

The Trainer was at a loss, her star fighter almost downed by one attack. _One attack!_ How could it be that strong, it just wasn't possible! The girl considered withdrawing her battered pokémon but her stubborn streak chose to interfere. Surreal could, no, she _must_ cause some kind of damage to that brute, not matter how little.

"Quick Surreal, try a Psychic!"

The battered and burnt pokémon whimpered pitifully as she tried to gather the energy for the powerful mind attack, finally letting loose the mind numbing technique. Slayer barely flinched. It was no good, she was just too weak.

The canine looked down on his opponent, the glazed look finally replaced by another, deploring one. He didn't want to hurt his beaten foe but he must, lest he be punished for his failure to follow orders.

"What's wrong little girl," the older man taunted, "pokémon can't cut it?"

The trainer ignored him, hand reaching for Surreal's Premierball just as it was snagged in an iron grip, a pained gasp escaping her lips as the assailant wrenched her arm behind her back and ended her attempt to recall her defeated partner. Another pair of hands then grabbed hold of her left arm, and a third pair latched onto the back of her denim jacket, obviously they didn't want her going anywhere soon.

It seemed that while she'd been distracted by the battle, the Grunts that she had encountered earlier had snuck up behind her, but why they would want to restrain her she couldn't guess, though answer soon became painfully clear.

"I think it's 'bout time I taught you not to mess with the Rockets," the Commander sneered, "Slayer, finish it off!"

The girl cried out, no particular words, just a loud anguished wail. The Grunts allowed her to sink to her knees, the one holding her wrist going down with her to make sure she didn't try anything funny, her green bangs obscuring her large amber eyes.

"No," she pleaded desperately, "please, I'll do anything. I'll…" she was cut off as the Grunt still holding her arm leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear, his long crimson hair tickling her cheek as he spoke.

"It's too late," he spoke flatly, "there's nothing you can do." With grim realisation she knew he was right, there _was_ nothing she could do. And what was that concealed note in his voice, that subtle something that she had been able to detect? Was it sorrow…_compassion_? The girl didn't know and for the moment didn't care, she just wanted this all to end.

Slayer hesitated. As a relatively new addition to the team he had yet to be fully broken, that is, beaten into total and utter submission to his master's will; a cruel and sadistic brute even by Team Rocket's standards. This espeon, not much older than himself, she didn't deserve to die. She had done nothing wrong, nothing but fight valiantly to save the pokémon that had been so cruelly ripped from their homes, torn away from their loving families and devoted Trainers to become mere tools in the Rocket Empire's quest for world domination.

Surreal took this hesitation as an opportunity to open a psychic link between herself and her distraught Trainer, sending a gentle torrent of reassurance and comfort to the girl.

_Titian, please don't cry_, the espeon spoke telepathically, _It will be all right._

_No it won't. I shouldn't have…I shouldn't…_ The girl, Titian, responded in kind, breaking off as her sobs became even more harrowing.

_It's not your fault,_ Surreal soothed, and added when she caught sight of images flickering in Titian's mind, _and please, _please_ don't blame Slayer, he doesn't want to, but he doesn't have any choice either._

The girl, shaking with each mournful sob, couldn't manage to form a reasonable response, instead pressing her head tighter to her chest. Her cries came less and less as Surreal wrapped her in mental blanket of warmth and comfort, letting loose a short, unintentional sigh at the gentle caress of her friend's mind.

The loud crack of a whip and the sound of leather tearing flesh, slightly muffled by fur, drew the pair's attention back to Surreal's whimpering opponent, cringing in pain. The Rocket cursed viciously at his pokémon's disobedience, screaming at the arcanine to 'finish the damn thing off'. After half a dozen more agonising lashes the Rocket's abuse won out and the hulking canine took several hesitant steps towards the smaller pokémon.

The girl watched in silent terror, wanting to look away but she didn't, she owed her friend that much.

Slayer took the final step, closing the distance between them, his huge paw mere centimetres from the espeon's fallen body. His eyes offered a pleading heartfelt apology, whimpering and shaking in pain and with the guilt of what he was about to do.

Surreal struggled painfully to her feet, face turning upward to meet the arcanine's watery gaze. As their eyes met, the espeon nodded slowly.

The dogs tensed muscles slackened slightly, barely perceivable, with some small relief. A big wet tear glistened over the soft red fur of his cheek as he nodded in return, a wordless message passing between the two.

Surreal bowed before Slayer, unwavering, sliding her forelegs out before her and allowing the jewelled forehead to gently touch the floor.

The arcanine, not quite as sure of himself, gently rested his massive paw on the back of the espeon's head, his master's shouts of approval ringing in his ears. With a thunderous, woeful howl, Slayer fulfilled his master's wishes.

The girl screamed…

* * *

Finished 7th May 2005 


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